This undated combination of photos provided by the Journal of the American Medical Association in July 2017 shows a cancer patient with gray hair that unexpectedly turned dark while taking new immunotherapy... (Uncredited)

(Newser)
–
Cancer patients' gray hair unexpectedly turned youthfully dark while taking novel drugs, and it has doctors scratching their heads. The AP reports chemotherapy is notorious for making hair fall out, but the 14 patients involved were all being treated with new immunotherapy drugs that work differently and have different side effects. A Spanish study suggests that may include restoring hair pigment, at least in patients with lung cancer. With the first patient, "we thought it could be an isolated case," said Dr. Noelia Rivera. But she said the research team found the same thing when they asked other patients for photos from before treatment.

The 14 cases were among 52 lung cancer patients being followed to see whether they developed bad side effects from the drugs—Keytruda, Opdivo, and Tecentriq. While most patients did not have a color change, the 14 cases suggest it's not an isolated finding. In 13 patients, hair turned darkish brown or black. In one patient, it turned black in patches. Hair darkening might be an indication that the drugs are working, the researchers said. Rivera said they are continuing the study to search for an explanation and to see if the cases are just a fluke. Rivera noted that the study drugs have serious side effects that make them unsafe for healthy people. But if it's confirmed that they do change hair color, a different drug could be developed to treat gray hair, she said.

How many times have researchers stumbled upon something, while trying to find an remedy/cure for something totally different? Simply amazing!

Red River Dave

Jul 23, 2017 9:42 AM CDT

Fake picture comparison.

Matt Lilly

Jul 23, 2017 3:27 AM CDT

I think it's possible that the cancer treatments also destroyed senescent cells. Senescent cells are cells that stop dividing but remain metabolically active. They are thought to be responsible for many age related conditions. Experiments on old rats using treatments to clear the old, unhealthy cells caused them to look and act much younger (regrow fur, regain muscle mass, etc.). So what if it's possible that these treatments attacked not just cancer cells, but other unhealthy cells like senescent cells as well? If this is so, there may be other positive health affects than just hair. Hair is part of the skin so I wonder if these patients' skin had become healthier as well.